The Mage's Journal
by kageshoujo
Summary: Ever wonder how magic in the Fire Emblem series works? Here is a mage’s in-depth journal of how magic works, scoping from FE6, FE7 to FE8. And a little FE9?
1. Chapter 1

Fire Emblem Fanfiction

Fire Emblem Fanfiction

The Mage's Journal

Summary: Ever wonder how magic in the Fire Emblem series works? Here is a mage's in-depth journal of how magic works, scoping from FE6, FE7 to FE8. And a little FE9?

Warning: Contains some original characters, including my tactician in FE6-7. Contains some excerpts from some of my fanfics. They're not much to be worried about, though. Well, read on.

**1. The Mage**

_**Magic exists everywhere.**_

_**Every living thing contains magic in them. Human beings do, too. Those who have a high concentration of magic awakened in them and decide to use this to commune with and use the power of the spirits become mages.**_

_**-The Mage's Journal**_

"Hey, Nino?"

The tactician Kumiko (1) spoke, when she and Nino were sprawled on the young mage's cot, in her tent. They were around the same age, so they got along well.

"Yes, Kumiko?" Nino turned to Kumiko, dropping her quill. Kumiko was just teaching her letters.

"How did you become a mage?"

Nino suddenly looked thoughtful. She put a finger to the side of her head and then shrugged. She smiled, and answered, "I don't know!"

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Kumiko looked most puzzled.

"I just imitated mo—Sonia whenever she used magic. I listened to her chants and imitated the gestures—and then I could use magic!"

"Oh…" Kumiko looked more puzzled. "I'm… sure it doesn't work that way for everyone else. I tried reading the incantations on the tome, but they… kind of don't let me read them. I don't understand the writing at all."

"They're written in the ancient language." Nino said. "And I just… I don't know how I read them. Maybe the magic spirits help me. I didn't learn the chants from reading them, after all… just by hearing them."

"Oh…"

"Are you interested in magic, Kumi?" Nino asked.

With a smile, Kumi answered, "Oh, yes. I'd love to learn about how magic works. It is a most intriguing topic."

"Well, then…" Nino twiddled her feet in the air, "Maybe you should ask Erk. He knows a lot more than I do!"

"Anyone can be a mage." Erk told Kumiko, while the latter was holding her heavy, metal-bound logbook and writing down notes.

"This means I can be a mage as well?" Kumiko asked.

"But you are a tactician." He answered.

"That doesn't answer the question, Erk." She pointed out.

He sighed and he sat down on his chair, his thumb flipping through a book. Kumiko had interrupted his reading and he didn't exactly hate Kumiko, he even liked her—she was intellectual and kind—but he didn't want to be bothered reading at the moment.

Yet he still answered, "Well, yes. You can be a mage. Is it in your blood?"

She shook her head. "My parents were both knights. I know nothing past that. And I just thought you said anyone can be a mage. Why are you asking about my blood?"

He said, "All living things—including humans—have magic in them, but in varying amounts. Mages are those who have higher concentration of awakened magic in their beings."

"_Awakened magic?" _she curiously repeated, as she scribbled down more notes.

"Yes. One is unable to use magic if the magic inside him or her is too little or… sleeping."

"Then how does one awaken her magic?"

To this, Erk shrugged. "I would never know. I am a mage by blood (2), and that means that the magic in me is already… awakened by itself. Those who are not born of magic families probably have to do something drastic to get their magic to awaken. And if the magic awakens… they probably wouldn't be on par with mages by blood. But it is possible… it's just… difficult." (3)

"Drastic…" she whispered.

And he heard it. "Are you considering becoming a mage, Kumi? I thought tactics was your calling. You're quite skilled at it, too."

"Yes, tactics is my profession," she said, "but magic is fascinating. And I just want to _know_ about magic… not necessarily learn it. This is just… pursuance of knowledge."

"How very much like you."

She giggled. "Yes. It's typical me. Very well," she shut close her logbook, "I think I'll leave you to your reading. Sorry to disturb you, Erk."

He nodded, and then he said, "Alright. If you have more questions, just ask. But I think Lord Pent would be more suited to answer your questions…"

"Oh, yes!" she exclaimed. "How come I didn't think of Lord Pent? Thank you, Erk!"

And the tactician hurried along.

**End of Chapter.**

Footnotes:

1 - Kumiko is the narrator in my fanfic, _The Journey in Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword_. (Or we simply call it, _The Journey_.)

2 - An artistic liberty. FE7 doesn't say anything about Erk coming from a mage family, but I think he is. C'mon, he has purple hair! …Okay, that proves nothing. He he.

3 - An example, I think, of a mage who isn't mage by blood is FE9's Soren. It's common knowledge by now that he's Ashnard and that dragon-woman's (I forgot her name… Almedha?) son. Soren didn't seem to inherit magic blood from either her mother or father's side… but he became a mage. I think Soren says he had harsh time learning under that sage who thought he was a spirit charmer.

I hope this fic is interesting for those who want to know about FE magic. Everything in here is just my theory… if you guys have theories, too, maybe we can discuss them. :D

Next chapter is available: Classification of Mages (starring FE8 characters)


	2. Chapter 2

2

**2. Classification of Mages**

_**Mages are individuals who call on spirits to fight for them. Anima mages call on the spirits of nature, Monks call on heavenly forces, while Shamans call on forces of the dark.**_

_**Each type of magic has different procedures to follow to become a mage and actually perform the magic.**_

_**The Mage's Journal**_

"Oh! Oh! Knoll! Lute! Artur!"

Ewan enthusiastically ran towards Knoll, the shaman; Lute, the mage; and Artur, the Monk. The three magic practitioners were walking together, talking. To be specific, Artur was apologizing to Knoll in Lute's behalf—because Lute attacked the Shaman again during a battle, and behind his back. Luckily, Knoll evaded. If he hadn't, he could have been burnt to a crisp." (1)

The young pupil stopped right in front of the trio, and blinked innocently at them. The three didn't seem to notice him.

"Lute. You really should apologize to Knoll…" Artur lightly elbowed the mage.

Lute turned her head sharply away.

"No, please, don't bother yourself, Artur." Knoll said. "I'm… getting used to her."

Artur shook his head, and turned to Lute again. "Lute. Please. We're all allies here. We shouldn't attack each other. Do you want me to bring this up to Prince Ephraim?"

"Do what you will." Lute said. "And no, he is not an ally. Not until we make it clear who is superior. And I don't even see why you side with… that dark mage." She told Artur, and then glanced at Knoll. "He is a shaman—a user of the dark forces—which makes him the enemy of light." (2)

"Please, Lute, that is a misconception about us dark mages…" Knoll said.

She raised an eyebrow, and turned to Artur. "And he knows my name! Artur, why did you tell him?"

"I… didn't." Artur said, weakly.

"I knew it." Lute snapped her fingers and looked annoyed. They were still oblivious to Ewan, who was staring at them with his innocent eyes. "You were researching on me, Knoll… you knave. That's dirty pool."

And then finally, Ewan cleared his throat. The three finally saw him, right there in front of them.

"Oh. Good day, Ewan." Artur greeted the young pupil. Knoll and Lute looked down on the pupil as well.

"I needed some help, see…" Ewan said. "I want to know what kind of mage I should be. Should I be a Nature Mage? A Shaman? A Monk?"

"So, does that have anything to do with us?" Lute asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course it does!" Ewan exclaimed with a jump. "You guys are a mage, a shaman, and a monk!" he pointed to each of the three.

"Oh… you want us to… uhm, orient you about our magic, is that it?" Artur asked.

Ewan nodded, enthusiastically.

"Monks use light magic, as you may know by now." Artur explained to the pupil, as they were in a tent. Lute and Knoll were seated at opposite ends, as if not wanting to have anything to do with the other. Artur continued, "Our power stems from… faith."

"Faith?" Ewan tilted his head to the side, puzzled. "Faith in what?"

"Faith in the unseen divine being that takes care of us all."

"Faith in something so questionable," Lute rolled her eyes.

Artur ignored her, and continued, "Our magic comes from faith in an ultimate being. So long as our faith is intact, we can use light magic. Doubt isn't something monks could use."

"I don't think I can be like you," Ewan said, and then he turned to Knoll. "What about you? What magic do you use?"

Knoll said, "I am a Shaman—I use to forces of the dark to fight."

"Forces of the dark…? Then that makes you the opposite of light!" Ewan exclaimed. Lute nodded in the corner.

Knoll shook his head. "We may use opposing forces to fight… but we are not enemies of the Light mages." And then Knoll looked thoughtful, as if reconsidering his words. "…Well, I suppose you are right about that. Light magic stems from faith in the unknowable, the divine presence. In contrast, dark magic stems from knowledge, from understanding. We distrust what we do not understand, and we strive to know the unknowable. Perhaps our disciplines truly are incompatible." (3)

"And what is the important factor needed to be a shaman?" Ewan asked.

Knoll answered, "We are shamans by… well, how do I say it? By control?"

"Control…?" Ewan repeated curiously.

"Shamans rely on power, on intelligence, on control." Lute said, being the all-knowing prodigy that she is. "They contract with dark spirits. The dark spirits live in them, and in exchange for that, the shamans get to use the dark spirits to fight. There is a risk, though… that the dark will take over you."

Ewan looked at Knoll to ask for a confirmation of Lute's statements. Knoll nodded. "If you are not strong of will and mind… the dark will drive you insane. I have seen shamans who gave in to the dark… and as a result, they are…"

"Dead?" Artur and Ewan asked at the same time. Artur has gotten curious of the dark mages as well.

Knoll shook his head. "Oh, they are not dead. But… they are hollow. Their body remains living… but it seems like they lost their souls. They breathe, but they do nothing… they are also dead in that sense. And sadly… there is no hope for them." (4)

Ewan shivered. "I… I don't want that happening to me. It's scary… Why do you even contract with these… dark forces?"

"It is simple," Knoll said. "Hunger for power and knowledge."

Lute nodded. "Shamans have power surpassing the nature mages and the monks. They have awful accuracy and speed, though."

"It's a result of the dark spirits." Knoll said. "The dark living inside a shaman makes him feel--"

"Sullen, and emotional, and mysterious, and basically just evil," Lute snapped.

Knoll sighed, and just gave up. He shut his mouth and refused to say more.

So Ewan turned to Lute, and asked, "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm a nature mage." Lute answered. "If you choose to become a Nature mage like me, it's a nice and convenient choice. You don't have to risk a lot like shamans do, and you don't need to believe in something you can't see like monks do. All you need is…"

"All you need is…?" Ewan pushed Lute to answer.

"A brilliant mind."

Artur and Knoll nodded in agreement. "Anima mages need nothing but confidence in themselves, and patience to learn the craft." Artur said. "And as you know, Lute both has… ehem… an overwhelming amount of confidence and patience to learn."

"Why, thank you, Artur," Lute said. "Nature mages, if you look at it, seem to have an easy life. But no, it's not exactly easy. You have to learn a lot of things. Monks can be monks just by belief, and shamans can be shamans just by selling their souls to the dark. Nature mages call on the forces of life… and you have to be someone to get them to obey you. You have to believe in yourself. You have to be the best. The book '_A Young Girl's Guide to Anima Magic' _states that what matters is personality. Nature spirits help whom they fancy and find worthy of helping." (5)

"Now that sounds appealing!" Ewan exclaimed. "I've always used a Fire Tome, so I think I would make a brilliant mage!"

Lute shrugged. "Oh, just try, Ewan. But there's no one better than me."

"I'll be better than you someday! Just you wait!"

Lute just laughed.

**End of Chapter.**

Footnotes:

1 - This happened in Lute and Knoll's support conversations, where Lute kept attacking Knoll from behind.

2 - A direct quote of Lute from FE8

3 - Knoll's direct statements to Natasha in their support

4 - Just like what happened to Canas' brothers in FE7

5 - Is it just me, but I think all mages have awesome, and distinct personalities?

This chapter just describes the types of magic-users, and where they take their magic from, and how they become mages, starring characters from FE8. I think I nailed the Shaman and the Monk, but I'm not sure of the procedures to be a mage. Mages have never said how they became mages. Nino of FE7 said something about befriending the spirits. Comments about the content are greatly appreciated!!

Oh, on a sidenote, I think the mages in FE8 are all mages by blood?? Or not? Lute said something to Ross about it…

Next Chapter is available: The Act of Performing a Magic Spell starring FE7 charas.


	3. Chapter 3

3

**3. The Act of Performing a Magic Spell**

_**For fighting, mages have a standard set of acts to perform magic, which includes use of a tome and some incantations. Mages call to spirits using the incantations. This act uses up the mage's magic power. The spirits respond by entering the tome. This is why we see the tome glowing while a mage uses his magic. And then the mage extracts the sheer power of the spirits from the tome, and this act uses the mage's magic power again. The mage then melds some of his power to fuel the spirits' magic power or to increase the power of the end result. For the end result, however (e.g. the fireball, a thunderbolt, etc.) usually majority comes from the magic power of the spirits.**_

_**-The Mage's Journal**_

"Lord Pent!" Kumiko ran into the tent of the Mage General of Etruria and Count of Reglay—Lord Pent—while lugging her logbook with her. The count was surprised, but then he smiled.

"Ah, good to see you, Kumiko," he said. He was folding some of his clothes and packing them into his travel bags… "What brings you here?"

Kumiko looked around, and asked, "Where's Lady Louise?"

"Helping with cooking dinner for our group," he answered. "And you, Kumiko? Is something the matter? Why are you here?"

"I wanted to ask about magic," she told him. "I'm quite curious about it. I know you're an authority on magic, Lord Pent, so I decided to come to you."

He chuckled. "Ah, how very much like you, Kumiko. Something intrigues you, and you immediately ask about it. Very well, I shall answer your questions. What do you want to know?"

"I want to know about the process that goes on when a mage casts a spell," she said. "I'm, as you said, quite intrigued about it. And maybe if I learn about it, I can understand mages better… and that would be helpful in tactics, you see."

"Ah, you're correct." Pent nodded. "Very well, I shall answer to the best of my knowledge. But firstly, Kumiko… what do you know about the things that happen when a mage casts a spell?"

"I… well, all I see is the mage chanting and a force—like, fire if it's a Fire spell—gathering in the tome, by the mage's fingertips. And then the mage… thrusts out that force… or something."

"Very perceptive," Pent told her. "You've watched a mage very closely, Kumiko."

She nodded. "I got Erk to demonstrate for me once."

"That's a good observation," he said, and then he explained, "Mages call to spirits using the incantations. This uses some of the mage's magic power. You know about magic power and all, do you?"

She nodded. "Erk has given me quite an explanation on it."

"Then I don't have to explain that. And so… The spirits respond to the incantation by entering the tome."

"The tome?" she looked puzzled.

"Well, yes, the tome," he nodded. "The tome is a catalyst, Kumiko. It is not merely a book with the incantations written on it."

"When you mean catalyst… it is supposed to be a means of transferring the power… or something to the sort, Lord Pent?"

Pent nodded. "Correct. You're very intelligent, Kumiko!"

She giggled. "I think you should expect it from a tactician, Lord Pent."

"Ah, of course," he said. "What was I thinking? I forgot that you, even though you're a young girl, are the tactician that keeps this group together."

Her girlish giggle filled the room again.

"Well then, I will continue," he said. "The spirits enter the tome. If you actually understand the chants written in the tome, it directs the spirits to go to the tome."

"It does?" Kumiko looked surprised. "So that means… if you alter the chant, you can direct the spirits to gather at some other place…"

Pent shook his head at her idea. "But you don't dare alter a chant, Kumiko. We mages may understand what the ancient writings mean, but that's all. We can't _speak _the ancient language. What I mean is--"

"That you're not an authority on it, and you don't alter it for fear of ending up with undesirable results?" She asked.

And he nodded. "Yes. You know we fear unexpected results. Magic is not something to be toyed with. It is a destructive force."

She nodded, meaning she understood. And so Pent continued, "When the spirits gather in the tome, the mage manually—using his or her magic power—extracts the spirits from the tome. The mage chooses how much magic he wants to extract from the tome. And then the mage controls the spirits' magic power—let's say, the fire if he used a Fire spell—and aims the spell and casts it towards the target."

"So, much of the mage's own magic power is actually used at casting a spell…" she mused.

"Oh, no. It is nothing compared to the sheer amount of magic power from the spirits that make the destructive magic. We use our magic to control that power from the spirits. The stronger the spell or the spirit, the more magic power we need to release to control it. Have you gotten all of that?"

She nodded slowly. "Yes, I think so, Lord Pent… Oh!" her face suddenly lit up with curiosity. "The tome serves as a catalyst, right? If the tome has housed many spirits, time and again, for a spell, is that when it is exhausted and we need to throw it out? I'm asking this because I've seen mages like you throw away tomes that look completely new." (1)

Pent smacked the palm of his hand to his forehead lightly. "Ah, I forgot to explain that part. Incantations call spirits from the environment to the tome, yes… but the tome itself also contains spirits. A Fire tome contains fire spirits in it that will also be pulled out by a mage's incantation. We throw out tomes because we've exhausted the magic in it."

"Then, if the tome itself contains power, why do you need to call on the outer spirits to fill it?"

"Firstly, Kumiko, the power in the tome is not much in terms of destructive power. That is why we call on the outer spirits. And second, the incantation, by default, calls the spirits to the tome. And as I said… we dare not alter the incantation."

"Is it possible to skip the incantation?" Kumiko asked.

And he nodded. "Yes, it is possible. The tome contains spirits by default. A skilled mage can pull out these spirits by himself, using his own power. But to get it to a destructive level as strong as it would get if you used an incantation, the mage melds much of his own magic power to the power from the tome. It will exhaust much of the mage's magic power, and I think it should only be used for dire situations."

"Can outside spirits still enter an exhausted tome?"

"Sadly, no."

Kumiko was about to ask more, when the tent flap opened and Louise peered into the tent.

"Oh, Kumiko!" Louise smiled when she saw the tactician. "What brings you here?"

"Lady Louise, I was just chatting with Lord Pent…"

"Forgive the intrusion, then," Louise said, "but food is prepared. We should eat now, Kumiko, my lord Pent."

"A splendid idea," Pent said. "I was quite hungry, too, Louise. And you, Kumiko?"

The tactician nodded. "I love Lady Louise's cooking. Very well, I shall go eat."

"We can continue the discussion at a later time, Kumiko." Pent said, and they set off to take dinner.

**End of Chapter.**

Footnotes:

(1) – I've always wondered how tomes can go off after 20-45 uses. My books are usually for keeps for 20 years. So this is my theory for the tomes. xD

If something bothers you, if there's something you don't understand, if there are questions and flames, I shall accept them. And oh, I'm not a mage, so I'm not exactly an authority on magic. I'm just a weird FE mages fangirl. I don't know if I accurately represented my theory, but I hope you guys understand and don't hesitate to ask for anything unclear.

Next Chapter is available: Advanced Skills starring FE7 characters in the FE6 timeline (or more specifically, an older Kumiko and Nino).


	4. Chapter 4

4

**4. Advanced Skills**

_**Mages can call out to spirits at any time without a tome. It requires great skill and concentration to be able to do that. The tome is also a catalyst for magic spirits that the mage calls out from the vicinity during a spell. The spirits gather in the tome, and the mage pulls them out. To be able to perform a spell without a tome, a mage must be able to concentrate and control the spirits to gather in one place of his or her liking.**_

_**Incantation and chants are done by mages during battle—but they can be skipped. Incantation promotes higher concentration of power, resulting in a stronger magic, and higher accuracy. It also serves one important role—the incantation also creates a magical barrier around the mage, protecting her from her own magic. For example: A mage casting a fire element tome. Prolonged casting of the spell (that means drawing out fire spirits from a tome or from the environment) without the incantation would more or less burn her hand.**_

_**-The Mage's Journal**_

"It was Erk's." Nino told Kumiko as the latter finished reading a page from a thick book titled _The Mage's Journal_. They were in the tactician's room in Bern Keep, for the tactician, after around fifteen years of defeating Nergal, has ended up working for the King of Bern as a military advisor. (1)

Kumiko flipped a page in the book, and said, "It's filled with wonderful information, Nino. I've never seen a book so packed with comprehensive knowledge on the mages."

"Uh-huh." Nino sat on Kumiko's bed and bounced herself. She twiddled her finger in her long, green hair and said, "Erk looked hesitant when he gave it to me fifteen years ago. He said he learned a lot from it, and that it came from Lord Pent. I didn't want to take it, but he insisted, so I did."

Kumiko said, with a sly smile, "You know, I think Erk liked you."

And to this, Nino put a finger over her lip and hissed. "Sshh! Jaffar's just outside…"

"Oh... Oh!" Kumiko ended up giggling. "Right. I remember Erk looking like he was ready to faint _everytime_ Jaffar's around when he teaches you how to read."

"Oh, come on, Kumi!" Nino said, "And we all know Erk liked _you_ first. He always took time to answer your questions and talk with you. BUT you liked Matthew. And Matthew had Leila. Ooh, it's wonderful to look back at all that!"

"Not!" Kumiko snapped. "That's all in the past. Why should we even care about who liked who?"

Nino shrugged, and smiled mischievously as she said, "Of course you don't care. Because what matters to you is the _now_, and now, the king of Bern likes you."

Kumiko picked up a slim volume on her desk, and threw it towards Nino. "Oh, you know he does not."

Nino evaded the book, and giggled. "I've seen how he smiles at you."

"He's smiling oddly all the time!" Kumiko reasoned.

"Because he's thinking of you all the time!" Nino countered, as she happily bounced herself on the bed, giggling.

Kumiko groaned and said, "Alright. No more of that talk. I'll have you know that I'm reading about the advanced skills of a mage. I am regretful I was unable to talk to about this at full length with Lord Pent ages ago. And it's too troublesome to go all the way to Reglay just to ask Lord Pent about magic. So you, Nino, will answer my questions."

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Alright. Then I'll begin. What about casting a spell from a tome without reciting the incantation?"

"Oh, that." Nino straightened as she thought for a while. "Well… they say casting without using incantations is the sign of a practiced mage. Amateurs may be able to do it, but it must be done with caution. When we use a spell from a tome without using the incantation, we bypass the sometimes lengthy chants, but there are certain drawbacks. Since we only use the spirits in the tome, the spell tends to be weaker. This can be remedied by pouring some of your own magic to the spell, resulting in a strengthened spell. They say it actually needs a huge amount of your magic power to even equal a spell with the incantations. And because you poured a load of your magic power into the spell, your body's balance of magic power is upset, leaving you unstable to control the spell efficiently."

"Meaning…?"

"Meaning you might not be able the aim the spell accurately, or worse, the spell may blow up in your face."

Kumiko gasped. She has heard it could happen before, but she hasn't actually seen it happen… but the thought of it was frightening enough.

"Burns have happened and fingers have been blown off or something because of skipping the incantations. That's why only practiced mages ever skip incantations and give up some of their own magic."

"Isn't there a safer way to skip incantations?" Kumiko asked, eyebrows furrowed, still disgusted by the thought of burnt skin or missing fingers.

"Oh, there is," Nino said. "You can pull the spirits from the tome without incantation, and then NOT give some of your magic to make it stronger. This ends up with a weaker spell, but since the spell isn't so powerful, you can control it more accurately."

Kumiko was smiling when she asked, "That's what you do when you're cooking, right?"

Nino nodded. "Oh, yes. I personally don't think it's that efficient for battle, but efficient for anything outside battle. And you don't need to use up some of your magic power for incantation or for strengthening the spell. It's decent for lighting up torches or fireplaces, too!"

Kumiko giggled. "A practical use of Anima magic indeed."

"Uh-huh."

"So…" Kumiko began, "If I were a mage and I knew I would be stuck in a very long battle, I can do this, correct? I mean, fire could spread easily, after all."

"Uhm… maybe for a while you can do it," Nino answered, "but then you return to reciting incantations after a while. Incantations serve one important purpose, Kumi—they tell spirits to protect you from your own spell. If you continued to use spells without the chants for a long period of time… you might end up burning your hand out of overexposure to, let's say, fire spirits if it's a Fire or Elfire tome."

"Then there's no benefit from casting without the incantation at all?"

"You use it for life-and-death circumstances. Remember that time fifteen years ago, when we were still in that war against Nergal? I saw a wyvern knight about to kill you, and no one was around to help. I cast an Elfire without the chants, and thankfully it saved you. But I was an amateur then, and as a result, my hand was lightly burned. Spirits in advanced tomes are stronger, you see. So I ended up running to Merlinus and dipping my hand in a bucket of cold water."

"Oh…" Kumiko stared at Nino, and the tactician looked thoughtful. "I… I never knew of that event. I didn't know it was you. Well, thanks for rescuing me then."

Nino only shrugged, as if to say, "No problem." And then she said, "Well, if you've become a skilled enough sage, casting without chanting would be easier and less risky."

Kumiko nodded, and looked into the book again. "And… what about this? Casting without a tome?"

"Oh, that's for the experts," Nino said, smiling, because she knew that she could do that. "Only mages of great concentration and those with a deep relationship with nature can do that."

"And how is it done?"

Nino opened out a hand and put it closer to Kumiko, and the tactician watched as a ball of Fire formed right above the mage's hand. "You call out to the spirits and ask them to gather at a specific place. And then you control them to do what you want." She then waved her hand in the air, making the ball of fire vanish, just like that. "There are no incantations. You just ask them from your heart. Spirits may only understand the ancient text in our incantations, but they also understand one's heart. They will hear a sincere mage who asks for them from her heart. At least that's what I believe in."

"I've never seen anyone cast a spell without a tome…" Kumiko looked at Nino, disbelieving what she saw, yet proud of Nino at the same time.

"Oh, some say it could never be done." Nino said with a giggle. "But I just did it."

"I'm proud of you! You're a master of Anima magic!"

"Oh, no, please!" Nino shook her head. "I still have a lot to learn. I admit I know a lot, but magic is a constant learning!"

"Oh, I say that about tactics as well."

"And," Nino put up a finger in the air, "because us mages are close with spirits that we practically have them near us all the time, mages have high sensitivity to feelings, because spirits can understand one's heart. Also, since Nature mages use the magic of life, a good nature mage can detect even the smallest form of life. So goes with dark mages to dark forces and light magic-users like monks to light forces."

"I see. I learned a lot, Master Nino."

"Oh, no, no! Don't call me master!"

**End of Chapter.**

Footnotes:

(1) – Prelude to events in my fanfic, _The Queen of Bern._ The tactician working for Bern is my theory of why he/she isn't in FE6. I say it's plausible because FE6 is darn hard to defeat, so the genius tactician can only be working for them! O.O (Odd theory, I know)

(2) – I always heard that Nino was an awesome sage. Even though I never actually got her to be a sage, I think she is a good sage, because she has two awesome mage sons. :D

I think _The Mage's Journal_ (this fanfic, I mean) is pretty much complete. If anything is unclear or you want me to explain something I missed about magic, I can extend this fanfic by your request. I WILL extend this if I get requests, because I'm discontented about how I didn't put in enough of FE's mages. If I will extend, I'm gonna put in FE6 Hugh, Ray, and Lugh. Or FE9 Soren—just maybe. I haven't played FE9 or 10, just read the script, so I'm pretty much unaware of how magic works in those games. (But I love Soren!)

So, your reviews and comments, please! xD

Kageshoujo, out!


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